She embraced him, afraid to let go. He held her a moment, then gently pulled her arms from his neck. "It's time. I need to go."

"I know." She smiled, tears on her cheeks. "It's something you have to do."

"Yes." Suddenly, he took her in his arms again and kissed her with a passion that left them both dazed.

"I love you."

"I love you too." She pulled something from her purse and tucked it into his hand. "Don't say 'good-bye.'"

"I won't." He promised. He turned toward the carrier.

"I love you!" she said again. He smiled and nodded. He couldn't speak.

"Have a good trip, honey!" Her voice cracked. "We'll be here when you come back."

He turned and saluted her. She waved and then placed her hand over her heart. He ran to the carrier, afraid he would start crying again.

When he had stowed his gear and sat down the sergeant next to him pointed to his hand. "What's that, Cap?"

He had forgotten there was something in his hand. He looked at it. It was a note with his name written on it in her handwriting. He opened it.

Honey,

I love you. I will always love you. I am praying for you every day. I know you are in God's hands, but if He wills that you do not come home to us, then I will tell our son about the wonderful man his father was. I will teach him about God and why He sent His Son. I will teach him to be a man like you.

But I have faith that you will come back and that you will be here to teach him these things as well. Because of that, I won't say 'good-bye.' I will only say…

"Bon voyage," she said as she watched the carrier slip from her sight. Her hands rested on their son inside her.

"Bon voyage," he said as he gazed out the window, hoping to catch a last glimpse of her. He folded the note carefully, then placed it as close to his heart as he could.

"Bon voyage," he repeated as a smile emerged.

"Bon voyage." And he closed his eyes as he prayed for his family and then slipped into sleep as the carrier slipped through the clouds.

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I think the dialogue tells me everything I need to know about this couple. No names and minimal descriptions give it an 'Everyman' feel. This could be the experience of any one of thousands of couples around the world. Well done. Yeggy

Lauren, I know this was soppy and all that, but it just goes to show that there is room for all varieties of writing. As far as I was concerned, the theme of "bon voyage" suited "soppy" just perfectly. It was a little repetitive with some of the dialogue in parts, but overall it was one of those stories that bless the heart. It's also greate to see you trying different things each week. You are definitely heading in the "write" direction. Love, Deb (Challenge Coordinator)